EIT Raw Materials

EIT RawMaterials was designated as an EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) by the EIT Governing Board on 09 December 2014. The below provides some information on the challenges the KIC will address in the field of raw materials (sustainable exploration, extraction, processing, recycling and substitution) and the impact it will generate.

Goals and impact

EIT Raw Materials has the ambitious vision of turning the challenge of raw materials dependence into a strategic strength for Europe. Its mission is to boost the competitiveness, growth and attractiveness of the European raw materials sector via radical innovation and entrepreneurship. This KIC will integrate multiple disciplines, diversity and complementarity along the three sides of the knowledge triangle (business, education and research) and across the whole raw materials value chain.

EIT RawMaterials will be the strongest consortium ever created in the world in the raw materials field. The approach will pay particular attention to systemic thinking and de-siloing across the value chain. Novel service offerings will be implemented to empower the EIT RawMaterials community and other stakeholders, including four customised tracks focusing on growth and job creation by boosting start-ups, SMEs, radical innovation and education.

EIT RawMaterials will generate significant impact on European competitiveness and employment. This will be realized through the introduction of innovative and sustainable products, processes and services and well-educated people that will deliver increased economic, environmental and social sustainability to European society.

By the end of 2019, EIT RawMaterials aims to, among other things:

Develop 50-80 new or improved products, processes or services, and to have these marketed by 10-20 new start-ups.

Develop 120-180 patents, and to commercialise 5-15 of these.

Have 300-600 graduates of EIT-labelled courses.

Produce a considerable number of impact KPIs by the end of 2019 by improving the industrial competitiveness and the innovation capacity of the EU. For example, EIT RawMaterials wants to create 500-1 500 new jobs within the EU.